Method and apparatus for molding soap



C. 0. PHILLIPS.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FoRYMoLmNG SUAP.

4 SHEETS-#SHEET 1.

A c. v0. PHILLIPS. METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MOLDING SOAP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.5, T920..

C. O. PHILLIPS.

, -METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MOLDING SOAP.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.s, 1920.

C. 0. PHILLIPS.

METHOD AND APPARATus-FoR MOLDING SOAP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-5. 1920Y Patented Sept. 27, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OEOIL o'. PHILLIPS, or NEW YORK,N. Y., As'srGNoR To THE AMERICAN COTTON OIL COMPANY, or NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OE NEW JERSEY,

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MOLDING SOAP. l

insiste.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented sept. 27, 192i'.

`'appiiiation ined august 5, i920. serial No. 401,330.

To all ywhom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CEoiL O. PHILLIPS, a

citizen ofthe United States, residing at New York, in the county ot' New York, State of New York, have inventedcertainnew and useful improvements in Methods and Apparatus for Molding Soapyand I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description ot theV invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for the moldingand cooling of molten soap, and the pressing of the resulting soap, whereby the molten soap is converted in arapid and advantageous manner into the form of compressed cakes dat iid

vfor packaging without further treatready ment.

According'to the common methods of soap manufacture,"tl ie molten soap is poured into molds or frames, and' is permitted to cooly slowly. After cooling and solidifying, the soapis cut into slabs and bars. and subsequently pressed to produce theiinislied cake. These various operations require a. very considerable time, and a large part of the ordi- .narysoap factory is-rtaken up with soap undergoing these various, operations.

prior application, Serial No. A

ln my 386,912, filed J une 5, 1920, have described an improved method and apparatus tor molding and cooling molten soap and con' 4vei'ting the soap into the form of solidified cakes in a rapid and advantageous manner.v

The method and apparatus of the present .invention are improvements on the method and apparatus of said 4prior application.

v According to the present invention,l the soap, while still molten, is charged into molds of the v'shape which it isdesired to im-.

part to the finished cake, and the molds are then passed through a cold, salt solution or brine where the soap is cooled without beingv` brought into direct contact with the brine. During the cooling and molding operation, the soap cakes are subjected to a pressing operation, and this pressing operation is combined with themolding and cooling 'operations, so that the .soap is directly converted into "the form of the iinished cakes without further manipulation, so that they may be directly wrapped and packed for shipment.

'shape and appearance.

The improved apparatusof theppresent invention is generally similar to that of my aforesaid application, and comprises a re` ceptacle forA the brine used in thecooling of the soap, a seriesof molds arranged to receive the molten soap .and to convey ity tlirouglithepold brine while protecting the soap from. direct contact with the brine, and pistons or pluiigers arranged to subject the soap in the molds to a pressing operation in order to give to the cakes of soap their final It will be evident that the apparatus is capable of many -vari-l ations in its specific construction, and that otherimproved process of the invention can likewisebe carried out in various forms of apparatus provided the soap is subjected to the improved moldiiig,coolin'g and pressing operations characteristic of the 'inven tion.

The invention involves various features of improvements both in the process and appa- Figure l is a view in elevation of one" form tion;

Fig. 2 is anenlarged view in sectional elevation of partv ot the apparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar view otanother part ofV the apparatus of. Fig. l;

Fig. 4t is an enlarged sectional view of the filling mechanism taken ontlie line 4 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the construction ot the mold sections;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on lin 6-6 ot Fig. 2; and

' Fig. '7 is an enlarged view showing part of the pressing mechanism.

n the apparatus illustrated in the accomof apparatus 'embodying the invendrawings the tank for the ycold salt solution or brine is indicated at 1, and is suitably supported by the supports 2 and 3, and by the shaft 4 which passes through suitable stuffing boxes (not shown) in the side walls of the tank, and which shaft is in turn supported by bearings carried by the supports 5. rEhe shaft 4 carries a spider or wheel 6 rim 7, which in turn supports the transverse Varm 7a carrying the mold sections 8. Each mold section has a series of three ,molds 9 of approximately the shape of the cake of soap to be produced, and in each mold is a piston or a plunger 10 with pispanying ton rod 11 having aroller 12 at its outer end. The arrangement of the mold sections and molds is such that they'form a cylindrica-l series of molds rotating upon the shaft 4.

Above the series of molds is the soap container 13 having steam jackets 14 for maiiitaining the soap at the proper temperature and preventing undue coolingthereof The soap container is supportedlbyk the upright supports 15, and has three filling ,compartments 16 each having a filling screw 17 there- Yin operated by suitable mechanism (not shown).

`Power is supplied to the apparatus through the friction clutch pulley 18 and the 4shaft 19 carrying the worm 2O which meshes with the worm gear 21 `upon the shaft 4. The worm shaft 19 also carries the bevel gear 22, from which the filling screws 20'may be operated (by connecting mechanism not shown).

` bevel gear 24 on shaft 25, which in' turn the upright supports carries the miter gear 26 meshing with bevel gear 27 on the cam shaft carrying the cams The shaft also carries a gear 29 meshing with the gear 30 on the shaft 31, and power is transmitted through this shaft and bevel gears 32 and 33 to the shaft 34 carrying the arms 35 arranged to act upon the cooled soap cakes to separate them from the pistons vor plungers by which they arel 4segment 36 carrying the cam surfaces 36a is supported by a transverse bracket 37 from the plate 38, which in turn is supported by 15 and 39. The angle irons 36 of the cam segments 36 provide the Hat surface for the rollers 12. Near its right end this cam segment has an outer surface 42 as well as an inner surface 41 thus providing a groove for the rollers and inhaving the radially arranged outerv j The shaft 19 also- .carries the bevel pinion 23 meshing with the therein.

suring that the rollers and the pistons operated thereby are properly positioned. This groove is inclined inwardly for reasons hereinafter explained. The cam section 43 is pivoted at 44 and ladjustably supported at 45 by. the adjustable support 46. This cam section likewise provides a double cam groove. The cam section 47 is of similar construction andis supported by an adjustable support 48. r1`he camsection 49 is adjustably'supported by th'e'slide 50 operating in the guide 51, the adjustment being effected by adjusting screws 52 acting through the bell crank lever 53 and the connecting rod 54. The angle iron 55 which forms the cam surface is pivoted at 57, and adjustable by means of slots 56` and bolts coperating therewith. The cam surface formed by the member 55 is eccentrically arranged so that the lower right end thereof is somewhat nearer to the cylindrical molds than is the ,by means of slots 62, so that the cam surfaces can be eccentrically arranged so that the lower end is somewhat nearer the cylindrical series of molds than is the upperend.

l The cam section 63 is of similar construc-l tion and arrangement. It is, carried by the slide support 64 and its outer cam surface 65 is pivoted at 66 and adjustable by means of slots 67, so that it can be 4eccentrically arranged with its left hand end somewhat nearerto the cylindrical series ofmolds than its right hand end.

'Arranged below the series of molds, to the right of the soap container in Fig. 2, are spray pipes 68 for' spraying the under surfacesof the mold with cold brine and thereby effecting a cooling of the soap Above the molds butin the same position is a cooling jacket 69 having a brine supply pipe 69n iow. of thel cold brine therethrough over the inner plate 69b which comes in contact with the outer surface of the soap in the molds and effects 'its preliminary cooling and incipient solidiication. Arranged around the cylindrical series of molds is the endless roller belt 70 made up-0f links and cross arms 70A carried thereby, said cross arms each having track rollers 71 which are guided by a groove formed by the adjustable track angle irons 72 and 73, adjustable, e. y. as shown in Fig. 6. The endless roller belt adjustable as a whole is carried by the sprocket wheels 75, 76, 77 and 78, eXce t when the rollers are passing through the vguide groove formed by the flanges 72 and 73. The sprocket inthe belt, and to this end and-adapted Afor the Arranged at the upperleft hand part ofthe apparatus shown in Figs. land 3 is a slide 90 for receiving the cakes of soap separated from the pistons by thesarms 35, and a spray pipe91 is arranged rforspraying brine or water 'upon the slide' or upon the cakes as lthey are discharged. Arranged to the left of the soap container 18 in Figs. 2

1 and 3 is a transversely arranged belt carrying brushes, said belt Vbeing supported by a bracket support .94, and driven in any suitable mannerk'as by a'b'el't '93.` brushes are arranged to remove any adhering soap from the outer surfaces of the cylindrical mold sections and from the pistons 10, which pistons, as shown, may project somewhatabove the surrounding surfaces.

The cakesof soap discharged yfrom the apparatus and passing down the slide 90 are received bythe conveyer 96 whichpmay be of screenmaterial, and the cakes may then be passed through a further body -of cold brine and subjected tol-a brine spray to efn feet their further cooling, although such further cooling'-may not be necessary, in which case the cakes may be passed directly to the wrapping and packaging apparatus after washingjto remove any adhering brine The transversebelt brush 83 is similar to v the brush 92, and is transversely arranged so .that it will remove any adhering soap vfrom the pistons orplungers ofthe roller belt.

This -belt scraper may be driven in any suitable way, as byv means of belt 84.

' Arranged beneath the filling mechanism, for receiving any soap that may escape around the pistons or otherwise, is a receptacle 82 which prevents any escaping soap from` dropping into the brine. he soap thus collected can be scraped out from time to time and thereby recovered. With proper These' maintained therein bythe steam jacket at" the proper temperature. The cylindrical series of molds is slowlyY andkcontinually rotated by means of the worniiQO and worm y gear 21, and the. threeseriesof molds are brought successively' beneathjthe jsoap con tainer. 'i The pistons in eachmold are Ykept flushv with the surroundingsurface of the mold sections, by thefaction offthe double cam groove 40, upon the rollers 12, vwhen the molds are firstintroduc'e'd beneath the soap container. As the molds pass beneath the vcompartments 16, the pistons are drawn downwardly by the rollers operating in the double cam groove o f the cam section 43 and Asoap is simultaneously vforced .down into the molds by the action ofthe screws'17. The operationf the screws, and the lowering of the pistons,are so'v timed that lthe soap is forced downwardly into the molds at the same time that the pistons are drawn downwardly therein. VThe combined action results inthe filling lof the molds with the molten soap and with .substantial avoidance of the occlusion or inclusion in the mold of airbubbles or ,lair pockets. f

Asthe filled molds arerotated beyond the soap container, they lare subjected to the cooling action of the `cold .brine spray from -the pipe 68 and to the cooling action of the cooling jacket 69, the spray acting upon the inner surfaces of the molds and the surface 69b acting directly upon 'the outer surface ofthe soap in the molds. The soap is thus given a preliminary chill before the vmolds are immersed in the brine in the tank 1. As the molds -pass downwardly beyond the lower endl of the surface 69", the pistons or plungers 74 are brought into alinement with thefmolds, and each moldisthereby covered or closed by a piston or plunger. The guide flange 73 is so arranged as to bring the pistons 711 into registry with the molds and thereby close the molds as soon as the molds have been moved below the lower end of the cooling surface 69", and before the molds enter the brine.

rl"he molds after being thus closed by the pistons or plungers-fll then pass down into .thevtank 1, the soa-p 'being protected 'from the direct contact withthe brine, sothat the brine acts indirectly through the inner and outer pistons and throughthe mold walls. The soap is thus rapidly cooled and the ofiiitcer portions of the cakes are rapidly solid- 1 e The endless roller belt requires no sepas rate driving mechanism,A but it will be driven by engagement of the pistons or plungers 74.- with the molds. The pistons may be thus very lightly tapered to facilitate their entrance into the molds, or the molds themselves may be slightly tapered at their outer ends. As the soap is progressively cooled and g4, y l 1,391,972

sate for the .shrinkage of the soap upon cooling.

After the preliminary cooling and shrinkage of the soap has taken place, and after the soap has reached a proper degree of solidity, it is then subjected to a pressing operation comparable with the pressing to which cakes of soap are commonly subjected, but this pressing operation is combined with the moldingv and cooling operation so that the entire molding, cooling and pressing operations take place in the same apparatus and without the necessity for subsequent operations thereafter. To this end, the angle irons '72 and 73 ivhich form the guiding groove for the rollers 71 are given.

a greater degree of eccentricit-y, at'the portion of the apparatus opposite the-cam section G3. and the cam surfaces 65 of this cam section may likewise be given an increased degree-of eccentricity so that either or both the inner and outer pistons or plungers will be forced into the molds to a suflicient eX- tent to give the desired pressing to the soap therein.

It will be understood that the rate of movement of the cylindrical series of molds is such that the desired cooling action will take place, and such that the soap will be suiciently solidified before and during the pressing operation, so that the cakes of soap when removed from the molds will not undergo any further appreciable shrinkage such as would cause deformation.

After the soap has thus been molded and pressed, the cakes are removed from the. The outer pistons are thus forced.

molds. away from the molds by the arrangement of the outer left hand end of the inner guide surface 7 2. Then when themolds come into alinernent with the cams 2S, these ca ms act upon the rollers and pistons to force the cakes of soap out of the molds, and the cakes Y are then separated from the inner pistons by the arms 35. The operation of the cams 28 and of *he arms 35 is so timed that the cakes will be properly and effectively removed frorn the molds and pistons. The

cakes then pass down the slide 90, being assisted by the spray from the pipe 91, and

then pass on to the conveyer screen or belt 96.

After the cakes of soap have been removed from the molds the pistons are forced outwardly,-by the action of the cam 36 upon the rollers, so that they project somewhat beyond the cylindrical surface of the mold sections, and any adhering soap is then brushed from the pistons and from the surface of the mold sections by the belt brush 92, Upon further rotationof the molds the pistons are drawn down even with the surrounding surfaces of the mold sections, by the action of the cam groove Ll0 upon the rollers, and the pistons are held in this position when the molds first pass beneath the soap container.-

It will thus be seen that the position of the pistons in the molds is controlled by the.

various cam surfaces acting upon the rollers 12, and that the cam surfaces are adjustable to vary the action 0f the pistons. The pistons are thus forced outwardly, even with or slightly beyond the cylindrical sur,- face of the mold sections, while the cakes of soap are being separated from the pistons by the arms 35, and while the pistons are being freed from adhering soap by the belt brush-92. The pistons are then kept vflush with the surrounding cylindrical surface While theymolds are being passed beneath the edge of the soap container. The pistons are then drawn inwardly simultaneously .with the forcing of the soap into the molds by the screws 17, so that the molds are completely filled and the inclusion of airbubbles or pockets prevented. The eccentric arrangement' of the cam surface 55 then causes the inner pistons to move outwardly, as the molds are being rotated, to compensate for the shrinkage of the cakes upon initial cooling. The cam surfaces 56 and may also be given the desired degree of eccentricity to compensate for the shrinkage,and to assist in pressingV the. cooled cakes of soap. The outer pistons will simultaneously be forced into contact with the soap with the proper degree of pressure to give to the cakes the necessary pressing, untilthe complete cooling and pressing operation has taken place. After the completion of these operations, and upon further rotation of the molds, they are ultimately brought into alinement with the cams 28, and the cakes are forced outwardly and separated from the molds and pistons, after which the operation is repeated. The inner and outer pistons will be freed from any adheringsoap prior to the beginning of the next operation by the action of the belt brushes 92 and 83. The thickness of the cakesof soap can be varied without changing the structure of the apparatus by adjusting either the inner cam surfaces so refrigeration apparatus.

as to vvary the positions ofthe inner pistons in the molds during the operation, or by similarly adjusting the guide groove of the outer pistons to effect the same end. A

thinner or a thicker cake of soap can thus be produced. 1t `will be understood that thethree cani surfaces or the three series of molds can be simultaneously adjusted se that the pistons of any 4three corresponding molds will be operated simultaneously in the same way.

The brine employed can .be kept atthe vproper temperature by'any suitable cooling means, for example, by the use ofyammonia Brine may thus be cooledv to va temperature of around 5 to 150 F.. so that an energeticcooling action willtake place. VWith this temperature, it requires but a few .minutes to veffect the necessary molding and cooling of the soap cakes. As a result, theapparatus can be operated ina relatively rapid `and continnous manner, so that it will have a large capacity. f

1t will be evident that the .molds may be of' different sizes and shapes, for example, such that the .resulting cake will be of oval, round, square, rectangular or other shape by properly designing the individual molds and pistons.

nasmuch vas certain materials are corroded by the action of thel brine, the apparatus should be constructed of material which is not acted upon, or, ifv constructed ofmaterials which are 'so acted upon, the apparatus should, be enameled or otherwise protected from corrosion. The parts of the apparatus which are immersed in the brine may thus be coated with enamel, or they'v maybe made of materials which re-- quire no protection against corrosion.

K {Soaps of dilferent character can be liriolded and cooled in the apparatus and J according to the process of the present` in- Y45.

soap of high purity, or it may belaundry yeirtion. The soap may thus be floating or other soap containing other detergent ingredients in admixture with the soap. The soap, prior tomolding and cooling, is subjected to the usual preliminary treatments, well understood in the artf'The its pressing surface. Thus, for example, the

surface of either or both pistons may be depressed so that the resulting cakes of soap will be oval in shape. Similarly cakes of rectangular or other shape may be made.

So also, the cakes of l soap may be given the busual labels or marks, as will be readily understood. j n

It is an important and characteristic ad- Vin the time required for the conversion of lmolten soap into the final soap cake, and`in the apparatus and. space required for such conversion. l

While the apparatus illustrated and described has three series-of molds, it will be understood that the apparatus can Vbe constructed and'operated in asimilar manner with a larger or smaller number of series.

So, also, the specific construction illustrated and described can be variedwithout departvantage of the present invention that the ing from the spirit and scope of the inven-A tion.

I claim:

. 1..'1`he method lof-molding, cooling and pressing soap, in order to convert'fth'e vsoap into the forni of compressed cakes, which comprises charging the molten soap into molds for the individual cakes of soap, passing the lmolds through cold brinewithout direct contactV ofthe brine with the soap, subjecting the soap while in themolds to a sufficient degree of ,cooling to effect solidi- `ication, and to a suilicient degree ofpressure to effect the pressing of the cooled soap, the cooling and pressing operations being so regulated as to give a cooled and pressed cake, of soap, and removing the cake of soap thusl produced from the molds.

f2. The method of molding, cooling and pressing soap, in order to convert the soap into the form of compressed cakes, which comprises charging the molten soap" into molds for 'the individual cakes of soap, between oppositely acting pistons,passing the molds through cold. brine without direct contact of the brine with the soap, subjecting the cakes of soap to pressure between said 4pistons while being cooled, and to a sufficient degree of pressure after cooling to convert the soap into the forni of pressed cakes, and removing the resulting cakes of soap from the molds.

3. An apparatus for molding, cooling and pressing soap, comprising a series of molds arranged to pass through a cooling liquor, means for protecting the soap from direct contact with the liquid while passing therethrough, and means for subjecting the soap While in the molds to a suiiicient degree soap in the molds to a suiicient degree of' pressure between such pistons to convert the soap into cooled, pressed cakes.

5. An apparatus for cooling, molding and pressing soap, comprising a series of molds cylindrlcally arranged, means for filling the molds with molten soap, means for conveying the molds through a cooling liquid, and pistons arranged to close the moldsjand adapted tou subject the soap therein to a sufiicient degree of pressure to convert the soap into the form of cooled, pressed cakes.

6. An apparatus for molding, cooling and pressing soap, comprising a cylindrically arranged series of molds, means for filling said molds with molten soap, a series of pistons arranged to close said molds and to ass therewith through a receptacle containing a cooling liquid and to subject the `soap to pressure, and means for ejecting the cakes of cooled, pressed soap from the molds.

, 7. An apparatus `for molding, cooling and pressing soap, comprising a tank'containing a cooling liquid, a cylindrically arranged series of molds rotatable therein, means for filling the molds with molten soap, and anv the molds rotate therein, and means for forc` ing said pistons into the `molds to subject the soap to pressure therein, and means for discharging the cooled and pressed cakes of soap from the molds.

8. An apparatus Jfor molding, cooling and pressing soap, lcomprising a receptacle for al cooling liquid, a cylindrieally arranged series'of molds rotatable therein, each mold having a piston therein, means for filling the molds withmolten soap, an outer series of pistons carried by the endless belt and arranged to close the molds and rotate therewith through the cooling liquid and means for acting upon said inner and. outer pistons to subject the soap in the molds to pressure, whereby the soap, isconverted into the form of cooled and pressed cakes, and means for removing the resulting cakes from the molds.' y

In testimony whereof I aiiX my signature.

CECIL O. PHILLIPS. 

